Japanese people will enjoy 10 consecutive days off in Golden Week 2019, due to a special national holiday for when Crown Prince Naruhito becomes emperor. At the first meeting of a committee that will decide the particulars of ceremonies related to the imperial succession, the accession of the new emperor was scheduled for May 1, 2019, which will become a national holiday. The enthronement ceremony is due to take place on October 22, 2019, and will also be a national holiday. An official announcement is expected to be made after the extraordinary Diet session this autumn. According to laws pertaining to national holidays, a weekday sandwiched between two holidays also becomes a holiday. This means April 30 and May 2 will also become holidays, making Golden Week 10 consecutive days long next year.

A national holiday for the emperor’s birthday will be held for the last time on December 23 in 2018. After his abdication, it will become a regular day. The new emperor’s birthday is February 23, and this will be celebrated as a holiday from 2020 onwards. This means that there will be no national holiday for the emperor’s birthday in 2019.

National Holidays in 2019

New Year’s Day

January 1

Coming of Age Day

January 14

National Foundation Day

February 11

Vernal Equinox Day

March 21

Shōwa Day

April 29

Holiday

April 30

Accession of new emperor

May 1

Holiday

May 2

Constitution Memorial Day

May 3

Greenery Day

May 4

Children’s Day

May 5

Children’s Day (observed)

May 6

Marine Day

July 15

Mountain Day

August 11

Mountain Day (observed)

August 12

Respect for the Aged Day

September 16

Autumnal Equinox Day

September 23

Health and Sports Day

October 14

Enthronement ceremony

October 22

Culture Day

November 3

Culture Day (observed)

November 4

Labor Thanksgiving Day

November 23

Emperor’s Birthday

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The highlighted national holidays above are scheduled to be officially determined at the extraordinary Diet session beginning on October 24. They are one-off holidays for 2019 only.
Compiled by Nippon.com based on data from the Cabinet Office website.